Let me take care of you
by Schwester Aurelia
Summary: John is getting sick. John doesn't see the doctor unless he absolutely has to. That worked out okay for the last years, but now he has a kid who gets worried about her daddy... Part of the "In a better future" series, which is a Happy AU of SGA, where nobody major died, and Atlantis is back in Pegasus.


**Let me take care of you**

 _Hi dear readers!_

 _This chapter got written while I was battling with a very persistent infection. (Still am). My immune system has been under a lot of pressure these last months, it seems. I'm quite ready to get well again. Thankfully it's not super serious, and well treatable. Just annoying._

 _But because I was feeling not good while writing, this started out a little sad and angsty, for me. Of course there is an happy ending._

 _This takes part about half a year after John and Rodney adopted a little girl named Nemia. She is three years old. There is also Lantis, who is the A.I. of the city of Atlantis. Recently she got the android body of a little girl, so that's why she can run around the city as well._

 _I hope you enjoy, and I hope you all are well, or get well soon! :)_

* * *

John has been sneezing for a few days now, and recently coughs have joined the sniffles. Which is, of course, not a reason for Colonel "It's nothing, just a flesh wound" to see Carson. (Technically they have more doctors now, and Carson mostly concentrates on his research, but he still is taking care of quite a few of the people that came to Atlantis in the first wave.)

Rodney has tried nagging, dragging, threatening and ambushing John in such situations over the last years, with varying degrees of success. Or, more precisely put, he didn't have real success in getting John to the infirmary, only in upsetting him further. When John doesn't want to see the doc, and doesn't absolutely have to, he just stays away.

The most efficient method Rodney has discovered is just letting John go on as usual, and speaking to Carson directly. So when the next post mission check up comes, the good doc will know what to look for.

Unfortunately, they don't have any off world missions scheduled within the next two weeks.

Rodney is still contemplating what to do, when an unexpected ally appears in his lab.

Lantis walks up to him purposefully. "McKayDoctorRodney, are you available to speak?"

Rodney holds up a finger for a second without lifting his gaze from his coding, finishes the section he is working on, and hits save.

He swivels his chair around to Lantis. "Okay, shoot."

"JohnColonel is not well. We see that you are worried, we are worried too. Today Nemia asked to speak to us because she is concerned for him as well. This will not do."

Rodney gapes at her. "What – why does Nemmy go to you before speaking to me about it?"

Lantis shrugs. "She was unsure of the protocol in your culture when a parent is ill. She said her mother would have made her father stay in bed long before the symptoms became this bad, and vice versa. But as you did not attempt to nurse JohnColonel back to health, she thought you have different customs. She didn't want to offend."

Rodney flushes in shame. His poor kid, worried for her dad, and not daring to say anything, because Rodney sets a bad example. Nemmy is very observant, and she really wants to fit in. They all had their hiccups in getting to know each other. But Nemia is so considerate, learning English, and how to live in a city instead of a hut, looking to them as models in everything. Of course she'd think not taking care of your sick husband is just another strange Earth custom.

"Okay, thanks for keeping me in the loop. I'll get Carson to drop by for a house call. And I'll talk to Nemmy and John."

"Thank you, McKayDoctorRodney. Please don't hesitate to call if you need help in confining JohnColonel to bed rest. We can reprogram the cleaning robots quite easily."

That makes Rodney laugh. "Thanks, I think I'll manage. I can always sit on him."

Lantis giggles. "That might work. Good luck! We need to go now, we are teaching the Ancient for Intermediates class in five minutes."

"Have fun with that."

"We will, thanks!" She calls over her shoulder, already skipping out the door.

Rodney takes a look at his laptops. He quickly finishes or redirects the most urgent work, and saves the rest. He has a family to attend to now.

* * *

Nemmy looks up from playing when she hears her pa's voice. She is quite alarmed that it's pa who is fetching her from daycare, because that doesn't happen very often. She drops her toy, and runs to him. Pa bends down, and scoops her up with a kiss. He's smiling, but he also seems worried – and now Nemmy is really scared.

"Is – is daddy – " she breaks off, unable to think about what might have happened to daddy. But he's not here, and he is ill, and won't go see healer uncle Carson, and pa won't make him stay in bed, and –

"Shh, shh, honey, it's all right, daddy is fine. Well, he's still sick, so he's not technically completely fine, but he's not worse, okay? And I already asked Carson over to have a look at him later. Okay?"

Nemmy searches pa's face anxiously, but he looks open, not like he hides anything. Pa never says "I'll tell you when your older" or "little kids don't need to worry about that". Father had sometimes said that, before.

Pa likes explaining things, and he isn't upset when she doesn't understand his explanation. Sometimes it's nice just to hear him talk, his face all alight, and his hands waving.

"'Kay," Nemmy says, and rests her head on his shoulder. Pa goes, and talks to Miss Baer for a bit, and then they say good bye.

"I didn't tidy up," Nemmy admits quietly while pa is carrying her through the corridors. Normally they are supposed to tidy up what they were playing with before going home.

"That's fine, honey, I'm sure Miss Baer understands. You can help tidy up the next time."

Nemmy takes that in. When pa steps into the transporter, she asks, "Is daddy going to get better?"

Pa nods. "Absolutely. I'm going to make sure of it."

Nemmy isn't sure what made pa change his mind, but she's glad.

They're home a few minutes later, and pa takes her to the kitchen, setting her down on the counter. "You want a snack, kiddo?"

Nemmy shakes her head, she doesn't want a treat, she wants to see daddy.

Pa ruffles her hair, and fills a cup with milk for her. "C'mon, let's sit down on the couch." He helps her down from the counter, and holds her hand on the way to the living room, the cup in his other hand.

Nemmy sits down right next to pa, she needs to feel him close right now.

Pa begins speaking seriously, and she looks up to him attentively.

"Listen, Nemmy, I'm sorry. I haven't been taking proper care of your daddy. He has ... let's say some issues with being ill, it doesn't fit with his whole concept of being strong, and able to defend us or whatnot. I don't pretend to actually understand what's going on in his head. But in the last years he got really grumpy whenever I tried making him see Carson when he's sick. So my strategy was to go directly to Carson, and maybe wait for the next scheduled check up. But I do care about your daddy, and I want him to get better, okay? And I promise, from now on I'll make sure he rests up and gets well. Okay?"

Nemmy is so relieved she can only nod, and hug her pa. He hugs her back at once, and helps her climb into his lap.

"I talked to Lantis," Nemmy says shyly, voice a little muffled because her face is hidden in the folds of pa's shirt.

Pa is rubbing her back soothingly. "That's completely fine, honey, I'm glad you did. She came, and talked to me. You can always talk to me, and your daddy about anything. But if it's easier to talk to Lantis, or somebody else, by all means, talk to them."

Nemmy nods against him, and relaxes further in his arms. Pa and uncle Carson are going to make sure daddy gets better. All is well.

All the anxiousness from the last days catches up with her finally, and exhaustion sets in, making her doze off on her pa's lap.

* * *

Rodney looks at his sleeping daughter. _One down, one to go..._

When he's sure she is sleeping soundly he carries her to her bed, and covers her with a light blanket. It's only shortly after noon, so a nap is probably the best idea anyway.

Back in the living room, he takes his tablet, and looks up John's schedule. Looks like a day full of meetings, and paperwork. Time to drag his stubborn husband home.

 _Lantis, can you keep an eye on Nemmy?_ He types on his tablet in a new chat window. Miko created quite the convincing Skype clone for their city. There are even Emojis, though they probably have more of those than the original Skype by now. There seems to be an unofficial competition going on who can come up with the funniest ones. Lantis is very helpful in programming them when you give her a picture, or describe what you'd like to see.

 _Of course, McKayDoctorRodney. We will alert you, should she wake up before your return. JohnColonel is currently in his office._

 _Thank you._

Lantis sends him the Emoji of two people doing the Athosian forehead touching by ways of good bye. Rodney grins while he walks to John's office.

John is slumped over his paperwork, completely conked out. Rodney's mouth sets in a grim line, but he's mostly upset with himself.

He debates waking John versus letting him get some much needed rest, but John's going to have a major crick in his neck if he stays in that position for too long.

So Rodney walks around John's desk, and lays a gentle hand on John's shoulder. It's a testament to how exhausted John really is that he hasn't woken by now already. Normally he'd be alert as soon as the door opens.

John slowly stirs under Rodney's hands gently rubbing his shoulder. "Mhmmm?"

He sounds disoriented and a little bewildered, and Rodney has to smile. "C'mon, let's get you home."

He helps John get up, noticing how wobbly he is on his feet. His skin also feels hot to the touch, he probably has a fever by now.

John is blinking at him. "Rodney? Wha's goin' on?"

"You passed out on your desk. I'd say you also have a fever. I'm taking you home now, come on."

"But-"

Rodney narrows his eyes at his husband. "Zip it, Sheppard. You're not fit to work, you belong in bed. I put up with your 'I don't need doctors' routine for the last years, because you are one stubborn son of a bitch, but that stops as of now. Nemmy was really worried about you, and so am I, so you're going to be a good patient, you hear?"

John is apparently rendered speechless by this tirade, just nods, and starts walking towards the door. Rodney supports him, because he doesn't want him to crash to the floor.

It doesn't take long to get home – their family quarters are conveniently only a transporter ride, and two hallways away. That was an absolute necessity, given how many emergencies they are called for.

Once they are home, Rodney takes John straight to bed.

John has apparently given up arguing for now, and sluggishly tries to get undressed. Rodney helps him swiftly, all the time berating himself silently for not stepping in earlier. When John is down to his boxers, Rodney tucks his husband under the covers.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee, water, something else?"

John holds out a hand to him, and shakes his head. "No, but you can stay."

Rodney has no problem with that. He quickly toes off his shoes and slips into bed next to John. John curls up against him. It's nice.

John falls back asleep soon after. Rodney contemplates grabbing the tablet from his night stand, but decides against it for now. Once in a while it's fine to just concentrate on his husband in his arms – even though it is the middle of the day. There have been so many instances in the past which could have turned ugly real fast... it's a miracle they're all alive today. Rodney doesn't take that for granted.

* * *

The check up shows that John is in the early stages of bronchitis. Carson gives him a good lecture about the foolhardiness of ignoring his health. John listens quite shamefacedly, and accepts the ordered bed rest and medicine with much better grace than Rodney has ever seen him do before. It might have a lot to do with setting a good example for Nemmy.

Their daughter was still sleeping while Carson came over for the check up, and Rodney let her sleep. It's the best treatment for emotional exhaustion he knows, and she would have just worried about the outcome of Carson's examination.

As it is, she wakes later in the afternoon when John is already resting again, but not asleep. He and Rodney are both lying in bed comfortably, talking softly, and enjoying the quiet time.

Nemmy comes looking for them, her stuffed cat trailing behind her, as she holds it by one paw.

"Daddy!" She exclaims in delight at seeing John, and rushes over to his side of the bed.

"Hey honey. You wanna climb in?"

Nemmy happily clambers over him to the middle of the bed for some family cuddle time. She looks at John quite a bit anxiously, and he reassures her at once.

"I'm gonna be fine, kiddo. Uncle Carson was here, and gave me medicine. And I'm gonna stay in bed like he told me to, and make your pa wait on me hand and foot."

Rodney snorts. "You wish. But you _will_ stay in bed, that much is true. Nemmy, you wanna be my little helper?"

"Yesss!" Nemia crows in delight. She _loves_ being a little helper. It makes her feel very grown up, and proud. "I can get cookies if you wanna make tea, pa?" She vaguely remembers that tea is good when you're ill. And cookies are always good.

John laughs at Rodney's grimace of distaste at the word "tea". Nothing but coffee for Doctor McKay.

"That's a good idea, honey, thank you. But right now I need some more cuddles," Rodney says. Nemmy throws herself into his arms at once.

Rodney revels in the feeling of having his family near, and more or less all right. Nothing like taking care of a child to make you stop and smell the roses, so to speak.

Nemmy is happy as well. Daddy and pa are here, daddy is going to get better, and pa is going to take care of him. And she can help, too! She decides to draw a picture for uncle Carson later in thanks. And for Lantis, too. And of course for daddy and pa, with lots of cookies.

John feels mostly exhausted, and still a little ashamed at the thought that he gave Nemmy such a scare. But having her safely cocooned between him and Rodney always makes him relax. He slips into a light doze to the sounds of soft conversation between Nemia and her pa.

* * *

 _And that's it for today, folks! I hope you had fun. :)_


End file.
